Full

As I write this, my heart is full. The kind of full where you feel it so physically, it’s almost hard to breathe. The kind of full where tears spring to my eyes because I’m just so freaking happy and thankful for everything and everyone.

The kind of full where I just want to hug people’s faces off. The kind where I don’t have to think about the two chin zits that have been bothering me for days. The kind of full where my overwhelming fatigue has been replaced by a bounce in my step. The kind of full that makes me extra patient with my children.

The kind of full that has me fully appreciating what a good life I have. How blessed I am. My children, my husband, our home, all that we have. My friends, in real life and virtual. My job, my work, my writing.

My heart is full because good things are happening for people I care about. Their books are being written, pitched and published. Their stories are being recognized in many places. Opportunities are abound for them. They are braver because they have the support of a community whom they deserve. They are opening up their hearts and minds to bigger better things because their friends and family believe in them.

My heart is full because people who think they’re alone because they’re just a small part of this huge world, know that they are not. They are connecting, meeting, hugging, laughing, sharing, loving.

All of this makes me happy and fills my heart, because it makes me believe again, the intrinsic goodness of people. In a world where negativity is just a Facebook status away, all the goodness flooding my computer screen and heart, is filling me up.

I am full, and I am so grateful.

PS: The day after I wrote this, I got my period (I feel that y’all are close enough friends now, that I can talk about my period on my blog). The teariness was PMS. The fullness, the happiness, that’s all real.

What has made your heart full lately?

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Alison Lee is a former PR and marketing professional turned work-at-home mother. After a 10-year career in various PR agencies, and of the world’s biggest sports brands, Alison traded in product launches and world travel, for sippy cups, diapers, and breastfeeding. Alison's writing has been featured on Mamalode, On Parenting at The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Everyday Family, Scary Mommy, and DrGreene.com. She is one of 35 essayists in the anthology, My Other Ex: Women’s True Stories of Leaving and Losing Friends. In 2012, she founded Little Love Media, a social media consultancy specializing in blog book tours, and because she doesn’t sleep, is an editor at BonBon Break, an online magazine. Alison lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with her husband and four children (two boys and boy/ girl twins).

We must be on the same “full” cycle ! Been feeling so much of this fullness recently. Going back to the blog and connecting has made me feel full too. Today I am fighting a sore throat and some aches, but the full is still quite good and still coming on strong.
Love this post and glad to know we are both full of it.
xoAlma recently wrote…Through the Lens Thursday : Week Three

Happiness through (usually painful) chin zits is really something. My heart hasn’t even been that full lately. I’ve been stressed and sick in the last week that I have let precious moments just make me impatient and yell-y.
Hoping for a full heart to start this week.
Thank you.Tamara recently wrote…Cry Me a Frozen Whovian River.

There are few things in life that make me as happy as seeing good things happen to my friends and family. It is such a joy to do life with people who do life well!NJ recently wrote…Ask Away Friday With Mama Rabia!

I love those moments of recognizing the joy of life. Beautifully said, Alison. What’s making my heart full lately? Small things, like my kids helping each other.Gina Jacobs Thomas ( recently wrote…Stepping Back In

I’m so happy for that sense of fullness in your life. It’s an incredible feeling. I feel like I’ve been teetering on the edge a lot lately – glimpses of the full and then glimpses of the not so full. I’m hoping that things will swing more forcefully to the direction of full.Christine recently wrote…Friday Round-Up

I hope that it will for you too, Christine. For me, the feeling of full came unexpectedly. I’d been just running on pure adrenaline, driven by deadlines and my own sense of “need to check all the boxes off”, that I was missing the scenery. Not just my own, but everyone else’s. Taking a breather and looking around at what other people’s happiness was, helped me center on mine. And I couldn’t ask for more.

What an extraordinary feeling! I remember this fullness that you describe but I haven’t felt it in awhile now. Thank you for writing this and reminding me :)And I just started my period, too!Christy recently wrote…Travel Retrospective: Remembering Vienna

I love this.
I was injured for the last half of 2013 and I had to pull out of two marathons I was 100% prepared for in terms of training… I had run my 20 milers and I was feeling good- until the injury came and I was told I had to pull out of not one but both.

Alison, this is EXACTLY what I needed to read this morning. We’re suffering from a major case of the Mondays here, and this put things back into perspective. There are so many good things in life, and I’d much rather embrace the full than the sour. Thank you!Nicole recently wrote…Optic Nerve Clover Review and Giveaway

It does make me happy to see others happy and reaching their goals or making connections! Happiness is contagious and the more there is the better off we all are! Negativity really doesn’t get us anywhere… 🙂Susi recently wrote…Sunday Snapshot #3

Don’t you just love that ‘Full’ feeling! It is the best.
Good things happening to people I care about is THE way to make me smile for hours on end. Or just a hug, a kiss and an ‘I love you/missed you’. I’m easy to please!Tinne from Tantrums and Tomatoes recently wrote…The tale of Isabellabobo: the end

I feel that fullness in my heart when I hear my youngest read. For some reason it hasn’t came as easy as it did with the first three, it’s been work. But to hear him do it and see the smile on his face when I tell him, “Hey, you just read that whole page by yourself.” Well, it’s pretty awesome!Allie recently wrote…SAG Awards Recap

Your PS completely cracked me up. I’m glad the fullness was real. It is a blessing to be able to rejoice with those we love as things work out for them.Tracie recently wrote…Every Character In Looking For Alaska Is Me

THIS.All.Day.Long
Joy comes from within — and when we are most aware and intune; it bubbles over. If we are lucky — it will fall onto those around us. Thanks for bubbling on me. And yes, that is the strangest thing I have ever written. 🙂
As for the other thing: I got Oreos!!Rorybore recently wrote…Monday’s Music: Move Freely

OMG Alison, my heart is so freaking full of ANTICIPATION for a big surprise I’m going to be a part of this week and I can hardly contain myself! It’s for my BFF’s birthday, and as long as I can manage not to say too much over social media, she will have NO IDEA until it happens! I’m dying here!!Jennifer Hall recently wrote…Lost To Me

You are such a beautiful person, Alison! You really are. Right now? My husband. He’s my rock and I’m falling madly in love with him all over again. I’m thankful for all the hard work he puts in to keep me home with the boys and I’m thankful that I’m home with them!Adrienne recently wrote…Things.

Aww great to hear you’re full Alison it’s a great way to be 🙂 I think we do focus a lot on what we’re lacking and what’s missing and not enough on what we have. My son is having a ball in the tub and I can hear the water kissing the floor but I can clean that up – he’s having fun. Glad you’re surrounded by and filled with such love you’re definitely very fortunate 🙂 Have a great one and grab a heat pad! -IvaAwesomelyOZ recently wrote…The Irrationality of Irrational Anger

Friendships make my heart full and give me the smileys. Well, that’s the best way I can describe it. I spent time this afternoon with my 89-year-old BFF. She cracked me up, even as she made me tear up. It’s special things like that that give me the smileys. Heart-full smileys.Alison Hector recently wrote…Peace

Reading this makes my heart full too and brought a smile to my face. Yoga made my heart full and I never thought in a million years it would do that but it does 🙂Maureen recently wrote…Joy in Antigravity Yoga

What a wonderful feeling! Lately I’ve been feeling a little empty (I discovered after getting called out on it by a friend that I’d been sorely neglecting my IRL friendships!) but seeing my big boy play with, talk about, and try to make his baby brother smile has brought such joy to my heart. This parenting & having a life thing is such a delicate balancing act…Sarah recently wrote…Announcement: February’s One Community photo link-up inspiration words

I read this and when I got down to the bottom I had smiled. I usually get this major high when my period is about to come, like the world is a rosy place and I’m good. And then the day before it drops I’m wondering why we can’t all get along. A crazy thing and those hormones of mine.KalleyC recently wrote…When You Have To Drop It All

Such a wonderful, wonderful feeling – that feeling of fullness. Love how you’ve captured it!
I felt so full this weekend, watching my children with family in town visiting. So so happy.Tricia recently wrote…We will take walks

Awww, I’m happy that good things are happening to you, your friends, and your family. Kinda wish I had that full feeling going on, but your happiness is rubbing off on me a bit. I need that after the last couple of days, myself.Vi recently wrote…Pep Boys is the Worst Place to Take Your Car!

I get emotional then too, if you know what I mean… But I love that this is the KIND of emotional you were. And just so you know, you are such a supportive friend and person that this is part of the reason good things are happening to and with those around you… xoxo

Your post today summarizes exactly how I woke up feeling. But then I got to your P.S. and now I’m checking my calendar, haha. I appreciate a girl who doesn’t see the success of others as a threat to her own success. You are a great support system Alison- and you “GET IT!”Rebeccafaith recently wrote…A Happy Ending: Saving Dylan

My heart feels so full of love by the people who have recently come into my life, at the perfect time. I’ve been dealing with a lot lately, with one relationship in particular really weighing my down (still figuring it out), and an old friend happened to come around and has really put a ton of light and love into my life. She is helping me regain my intuition and spiritual awareness. I pray so much more and I feel it working. I feel full of love and light from those physically here and not physically here. I am thankful to finally be paying my rent in full on time (haven’t in a while) and getting on a budget. I’m thankful for SO much.Ashlee recently wrote…My Love/Hate Relationship With Nashville Weather

I'm Alison. Writer, a mother of four (two boys and boy/ girl twins), social media enthusiast and book lover. A believer in the power of chocolate and hugs. Chugging coffee as I type. Want to know more?